Greetings from El Ocotillo

The students from our sister community El Ocotillo participating in the church’s scholarship program share personal greetings with Good Shepherd. Two experienced chefs share tips on making perfect Salvadoran pupusas.

Make music for Easter: Discover and celebrate new life

All are invited in the music making during Holy Week and Easter morning. No experience necessary! For more information, and to sign on, please email Ellen Oak at gsaliturgyandmusic@gmail.com.

Singers for Holy Thursday, Good Friday, The Great Vigil, and Easter Morning

Sing your way in community through the spiritual journey of living, dying, and rising in Christ. You will receive grace upon grace for the time and openness you offer. All vocal ranges and levels of experience welcome.

Rehearsals

Saturdays, March 29, April 5, April 12, 1:30-3:00pm.

Holy Thursday, April 17: Warm-Up 6:15pm. Worship 7:00pm.

Good Friday, April 18: Warm-Up 6:15pm. Worship 7:00pm.

The Great Vigil, April 19: Warm-Up 6:15pm. Worship 7:00pm.

Easter Morning, April 20: Warm-Up 9:00am. Worship 10:00am.

Handbells for Easter Morning

No prior experience needed. You will learn the fundamentals of reading music.

Rehearsals

Saturdays, March 29, April 5, April 12, 11:.00am-12:30pm.

Easter Sunday, April 20: Warm-Up 9:15am. Worship 10am.

Assorted Instruments for Easter Morning

All instruments and levels of experience welcome. Repertoire will be tailored to you.

Rehearsals

Sundays, March 30 and April 13 after 10am Eucharist for 30 minutes.

Easter Sunday, April 20: Warm-Up 9:15am. Worship 10am.

News from the International Institute of New England (IINE)

As of this date, the International Institute of New England (IINE) has not had to lay off anyone in spite of the loss of all federal funding that supports refugee resettlement. The Institute has enough funds from private and state sources to continue their programming for now. They have many new immigrants who arrived before the January termination of all entrees and need the services necessary to transition to living in the U.S. IINE also manages a state funded shelter in Lowell and some employees have pivoted to provide additional services and support to those residents, including English classes, cultural orientation, employment, legal services and stable housing. 

The staff at IINE is stressed and tired. Many of them are immigrants themselves and are juggling issues in their own extended families such as the pause in expected resettlement of family members and the loss of USAid programs in their home countries. They are also worried about their jobs.

The clients at IINE are amazingly resilient and show up for English classes ready to work hard, to help each other, and to talk and laugh together. One student who arrived in December from Afghanistan, is a father of seven children. He is here with his wife and six of his children, but there was a snag with the passport for his infant daughter, so she has been left behind to be cared for by grandparents. There is no way to know when they will be reunited. But he is grateful to be here and diligently engaged in learning English.

Last week four students in the Level 1 English class received Dunkin Donuts gift cards, donated by Good Shepherd, for perfect attendance at February classes. Remember those very cold mornings!! They showed up three mornings a week at 9:00! In the fall we provided 40 gift cards to DD and Market Basket that have been distributed to students in the in-person classes. We recently purchased 20 more. As you can see in this photo, they are proud to receive acknowledgment for their consistent attendance.

Rev. Eleanor Terry, Rector

2025 03 16 Sermon, Rev Eleanor Terry, Rector

Photos from the pancake supper

About 40 or so people attended the Pancake Supper at Church of the Good Shepherd on Shrove Tuesday. While festive Mardi Gras music played, everyone enjoyed pancakes with all the fixings; bacon and sausages; fruits and juice, coffee and tea. Children (of all ages) created colorful masks and a good time was had by all. Thank you to EVERYONE who helped setup and cleanup, and to the cooks in the kitchen!

Rev. Eleanor Terry, Rector

2025 -03-09 Sermon, Rev. Eleanor Terry, Rector

Rev. Eleanor Terry, Rector

Gospel and sermon for the Last Sunday of Epiphany, March 2, 2025.

Become a "Lenten Friend"

This Lent send and receive prayers and secret greetings:

• Put your name and mailing address in the LENTEN FRIEND jar in the parish hall before Ash Wednesday.

• Draw a Lenten Friend name Ash Wednesday or Sunday, March 9.

• Keep your Lenten friend in your prayers and mail an occasional note or card.

• Give your Lenten friend in person a little present on or near Easter Day. (ex Easter chocolate egg, small plant, something baked…)

• Know that the person who drew your name will be doing the same for you.

If you can’t be in church and want to participate, let Carolyn Platt know (cwplatt3@gmail.com) and she will put your name and snail mail in the jar…and also pick a name for you.

Rev. Ken Schmidt, Deacon

The gospel and sermon for February 23, 2025, the Rev. Ken Schmidt, Deacon Emeritus

Episcopal Church joins religious freedom lawsuit challenging ICE enforcement actions in churches

On February 11 the Episcopal Church joined dozens of multifaith plaintiffs challenging the recent removal of churches, schools and hospitals from protected status for immigration enforcement.

Referring to this lawsuit, Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe said that "in God's kingdom, immigrants and refugees are not at the edges, fearful and alone, but are the very center of God's story."

"We believe their struggles reveal the heart of God, and we cannot worship freely if some among us live in fear, " he said. "We are seeking the ability to fully gather and follow Jesus' command to love our neighbors as ourselves."

Read more on the Episcopal Church website.